Sweded Task Review

The film that our group decided to swede was King Kong, mainly because we had a specialised King Kong costume available. We filmed it, edited it and marketed it. To market it we created a poster, a Twitter page, a Facebook page and an interview with the cast.

Twitter: twitter.com/KingKongSwede

Facebook: facebook.com/pages/King-King-Sweded

Interview: youtube.com/watch?v=oTtUpFLBxqY

Dexter Title Sequence - Evalutaion Questions (DYM)

1. Summarise the conventions of title sequences that were most important to this task.

The role of a title sequence is to relay important information on the names of those involved, like actors, directors, producers, sponsors and so on. However, in order to avoid boring the audience the title sequence most show an interesting and engaging piece of film, with the titles being overlaid on the film. Therefore, arguably the biggest task within making a title sequence is finding a suitable spot and time to put titles in the shots. You need to ensure that the title is clearly legible whilst also ensuring that it doesn't take away from the focus of the film.

2. How did the group plan to edit the title sequence (consider timing, industry requirements etc)?

First of all, Audrey and I watched through the film a couple of times and noted suitable windows of opportunity for inserting a title. We then worked through the film putting basic title in, using LiveFont on a Mac. We planned to work on the finer details of the titles after all of them had been inserted but that isn't what we ended up doing. Instead, we worked on them individually as we went along.

3. Explain the creative decisions made by your group.

The creative decisions we had to make were fairly simple. We need to decide on the font, the colour, transitions, timings, positions and texture. We decided on a bold red font with no textures. This is because the Dexter main title is of a similar style. We decided on having transitions as that may detract from the focus of the action in the shots. The positioning and timings of he title were always relative to the action in the shot. We wanted to make sure that the title would stand out, but that it would also not dominate the shot.

4. How does your re-edit compare to the original?

I believe that our re-edit had the basics of what the original had. They both had similar fonts and lacked transitions. However, in the original they didn't care as much about positioning and would instead just placed the title anywhere in the shot. The main difference between our re-edit and the original is that the original had a constant stream of titles, whereas we had about 4 titles all spread out across the sequence. This is partly because we ran out of time, but we also weren't planning to have constant titles appearing and instead planned to have 5 seconds gaps.

Sweded Films - Research (BLK)

The term "Sweded" originates from Jack Black's spoof film "Be Kind, Rewind" which was made in 2008. In the film the characters attempt to flog VHS copies of a bad film by claiming it was Sweded, meaning that it came from Sweden and was therefore worth more money. Now it describes the method of filming used to make spoof versions of Hollywood films.

The requirements for a Sweded film are:

• No editing - All audio played live in filming
• Each shot only has 1 take
• Typically between 2 to 8 minutes long
• All props and costumes are home made
• High comedic value
• Typically posted online in an attempt to go viral
• Based on a fairly recent blockbuster film (one that everyone would know of)
• Extremely low budget resulting in the use of basic technology

Below are two of my favourite Sweded films:



In the Matrix, I like the subtle comedy, acting and creativity in action scenes. The way they used paper balls as bullets and a white board as a weapons rack was ingenious. The acting was also serious throughout which allowed the true satirical comedy to break through.



In The Lord of the Rings, I particularly like the costumes and use of props. The scene when both the wizards are talking is very well done in my opinion. The use of the skateboard to make it seem like they've been pushed back was very clever. Plus the costumes and setting looked very belieavable even though they were home made.

Preliminary Task - Evaluation

The brief for our preliminary exercise:

Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reserve shot and the 180 degree rule.

1) Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?

My group consisted of Louis, Vivian, Mari and of course, myself. Mari and I were the two actors, Louis was the cameraman and Vivian was the director. Although those were our primary roles, we all helped with each other's roles as well. There was some thought behind each of our primary roles. Our sequence consisted of two characters - a teacher and a teenage student. Mari is the smallest and youngest looking member of the group so it only made sense to have her act as the student. Similarly, I am the biggest and oldest looking member of the group so I therefore acted as the teacher. Louis was very keen to experiment with using a camera as he has very little experience of manning a camera, whilst Vivian was eager to challenge herself by taking on the role of director. Furthermore, Mari and I had also studied Media GCSE at this school, meaning that Vivian and Louis would most likely learn more from the experience if they lead the more technical side of the task. Also, for editing, we split into two groups - one being myself and Vivian, the other being Mari and Louis. This allowed us to all have a good portion of time to edit.

2) How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try to take into account?

The first thing that we did, was to have a group discussion. We quickly agreed that it would be easiest to have the characters be a teacher and a student as that would link well with the school setting we had available to us. We established what costumes we needed then spent about 2 minutes outlining the general flow of the script. This is because we wanted to focus more on the setups and shots and, more importantly, how we would conform to the rules of continuity. Vivian and Mari worked on the storyboard whilst Louis started the shotlist. My role in all of this was to ensure that our decisions on shots were based more so on continuity than any other aspect. Throughout we had a few walkthroughs in order to test whether certain shots would work. We needed to ensure that during the process of Mari walking into the room the camera would always be on her right, thus conforming to the 180 degree rule. We also made the decision to film a lot seemingly unnecessary shots so that we had spare shots that could be used to cut to in editing, if needed.

3) What technology did you use to complete the task, and how did you use it?

We used a Canon HV30 camera, a tripod, a shotgun mic, Sennheiser HD 201 headphones, a clapperboard and Adobe Premiere Pro. We filmed with the camera using tape to record onto. We used the tripod to alter angles whilst keeping the shot steady. The shotgun mic allowed for the camera to only record audio form one direction, ensuring that a lot of background noise wasn't recorded. To listen to the audio whilst shooting we used the headphones, allowing us to recognise any audio issues instantly. At the start of every shot we would film the clapperboard (with information on) for about 2 seconds in order to help with the editing process. At the end of filming we reviewed all the shots that we had recorded. This enabled us to see if we missed any shots out or needed to re-shoot any. Finally, we edited everything with Adobe Premiere Pro. This included the process of selecting shots, cutting the video, cutting the audio and putting the shots together.

4) What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?

For planning we had to take into account the time, equipment and locations we had available. We only had an hour to shoot, meaning that we'd have to make the sequence fairly simple. We decided to use the Media Block as our setting as it would involve minimal movement when setting up. However, it did mean we had to get permission to use PA7 and that we would have to negotiate with other groups our slot to shoot in the corridor. Whilst shooting we had to take into account lighting, background noise and background movement. For instance, we couldn't film in the corridor when loads of kids were running outside because the bell went. We also had to check if the framing was right for all of our shots and see if there any issues with audio. We also made sure that any shots we took conformed to the 180 degree rule and the 30 degree rule. Even though we had the shots on the shotlist, we needed to check for any mistakes and make sure that any unplanned shots were correct. For editing we needed to ensure that the narrative flow was in place. We also had to check the audio syncing. This all built up to establishing the continuity of the sequence. Perhaps the most useful tool for this was match on action, which we relied upon heavily. We also had to make sure we didn't worry too much about 1 shot or cut as we only had 1 hour to edit.

5) How successful was your sequence? Please identify what worked well, and with hindsight, what would you improve/do differently?

I think our sequence was extremely successful. It met the demands of the brief well; displaying the correct narrative, utilising match on action, conforming to both the 180 and 30 degree rules, in turn leading to a solid level of continuity throughout the sequence.

However, there are a few instances when cuts in the sequence didn't flow very well. For example, the cut between the first and the second shot seems jumpy. This is because in the first shot Mari extends her left arm, whilst in the second shot she uses her right arm to open the door. This meant that we had to cut from the first shot prematurely. To further improve the quality of the cut, we could have altered the angle and framing of the shot so that the cut seemed more necessary, seeing as the current cut is on the border of breaking the 30 degree rule. Similar scenarios apply to two other cuts in the sequence, but they seem to be the only clear issues. Therefore, in hindsight, I would make sure that we make each shot's framing significantly more different as to avoid breaking the 30 degree rule. I would also ensure that in every shot the characters' actions are completely identical, so that I have larger windows of opportunity to utilise match on action.

6) What have you learnt from completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation coursework, do you think?

In completing this task, I have had the chance to witness the importance of every aspect of filming a sequence - planning, filming and editing. I have learnt that in order to edit a sequence effectively, you need a lot of narrative-consistent shots and in order to achieve these shots you need thorough planning. Specifically, I have learnt about the effects and importance of the 180 degree rule and the 30 degree rule, and how they can completely shatter the continuity of a sequence. This learning will be very significant as it will enable me to effectively create a seamlessly continuous sequence in order to suspend the disbelief of the audience. It will also be significant as it has taught me how to keep to a tight schedule and work effectively and quickly within a group, which will be of the up most importance in the rest of my foundation coursework.

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Art of the Title Grid Evaulation (DYM)

Storyboard for "Followed"

Summarise your film idea. Provide a brief synopsis and outline what happens in your film opening.

Our film "Followed" is about a seemingly innocent girl being pursued by a mysterious and creepy villain. In the opening, it is assumed that the girl is on her way to meet a friend. All the while, there is a man following her with a gun. Towards the end of the opening, her catches up with the girl, placing his hand on her shoulder. Then, the screen suddenly turns black, preventing the audience from knowing what happens next.

What kind of information has been included in your film opening?

In the opening, we have presented the director's and two main actors' names, along with the title of the film. Regarding the narrative, we have presented the idea that the girl is innocent and vulnerable. This is done through the fact that she's a small girl in normal teenage attire, showing that she is involved with nothing out of the ordinary. The fact that the man pursuing her, is physically much larger than the girl and that his face isn't shown, depicts the idea that he very mysterious, creepy and powerful. He also has a gun, which shows that he wants to either kill her or abduct her.

How do the titles link to the main film idea?

The font of the title conform with the stereotypical and grim conventions of thriller font. It's also white, that makes it easily visible and bold, as well as slightly uncomfortable as it greatly contrasts with the shot it is placed upon. The actual title, "Followed", obviously synergises well with the plot.

Summarise the expected audience reaction. What should the audience be thinking by the end of your opening? Is your opening clear or ambiguous?

Our opening scene is deliberately very ambiguous in order to make the audience very intrigued and excited to watch the rest of the film. I expect the audience to be wondering who the girl is, who the man is, why he is pursuing her, why he has the gun, who she was planning to meet and finally, what happened when the man caught up with the girl.

Identify three things that you included in your grid that are important in the construction of an opening sequence and explain their role in understand the film.

1. We used a variety of shot types in the opening sequence. We used different angles, distances and focuses. This is because we needed to make the opening scene interesting and dynamic in order for the actual narrative to intrigue the audience, without the shot type boring them. It also aids in the portrayal of the characters.
2. The character development is also extremely important. The man never gets his face in focus and is only seen in full once. This makes him seem very mysterious. In contrast, the girl has an extreme close up of her face when the man approaches her. This strengthens the idea that she is vulnerable and innocent.
3. Finally, the black screen which only shows the title is vital. It prevents the audience from fully understanding what is happening and ends the opening scene on an interesting cliff hangar. It also clearly tells the audience what the name of the tile is and gives them an opportunity to really appreciate the thriller font

How effective is your project as a film opening? Explain your answer.

Overall I feel our opening shot was fairly effective. This is because our character representation is very clear and the narrative is easy to follow. Especially the last, which creates suspense and gives the audience an incentive to keep on watching. However, my main concern with out opening scene is the setting. The setting is not very clear. This is because of two main reasons - we had no control of the lighting, objects in the background conflict with each other (a head teachers office with a lecture poster conflicting with boxes and barrows). We also had no establishing shot so right from the start it's not clear where the scene is set.

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Judgement of how effective and reason

Campaign's focus on both reach (communication with) and appeal to specific audience

Band Identity
Style
 -
Persona

Branding
Consistent style (?)
Logo saturation
Iconography

Symbiotic Relations
Social media
Radio


Folder help:

p23 marketing Qs
p24 marketing theory
p25-29 marketing website
p30&31 website
p32 terminology
p33 further marketing details